Apparatus for tempering glass



2,247,E il.

June 24, WM. J. L. BRAKE v APPARATUS FOR TEMPERING GLASS Filed June 2, 1938 2 Shee'cs--Shet` 1 c/oH/v L. Dm KE.

l G ttotneg June 24, 1941. J. L. DRAKE APPARATUS FOR TEMPERING GLASS Filed June 2, 1938 2 sheets-shew 2 Snoenfor 'o/oHN L. DKAKE Patented AJune 24, 1941 UNITED STATES ATEN Fries 2,241,118 APPARATUS non. TEMPERING GLASS John L. Drake, Toledo, Ohio, assgnor to Libbey- Owens-Ford Glass Company, Toledo, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application June 2, 1938, Serial No. 211,343

3 Claims. (Cl. 49-1) outer surfaces of said sheets under compression and the interiors thereof under tension.` The treatment of glass sheets in this manner not only materially increases the mechanical strength of the glass, but further modifies its breaking characteristics so that, when broken, the glass will disintegrate into innumerable small and relatively harmless particles instead of breaking into large dangerous pieces or slivers as is the case with ordinary glass.

In the practice-of the above process, the glass sheet is ordinarily maintained in a vertical position during the treatment thereof and it is customary to suspend the sheet from a plurality of relatively small tongs or hooks which engage the same near its upper edge. The glass sheet is first heated to the desired temperature in a suitable furnace and upon moval therefrom is subjected immediately to tf action of suitable cooling devices by which t, e glass is suddenly chilled. These cooling devices usually comprise spaced blower heads between which the highly heated glass' sheet is receiv d and which serve to direct jets of air upon o posite surfaces of the said sheet simultaneously.

It has also been proposed to produce bent or curved sheets or plates of glass by the above process, but the suspending of `the bent sheets in a vertical position by means of tongs is, however, not entirely satisfactory due to the fact that the tongs tend to bite into the glass upon the softening thereof, causing slight indentations or depressions which remain therein after tempering and which tend'to mar the appearance of the sheets. Further, if the glass sheets are not properly hung from the tongs, they are very apt to become warped or distorted upon being heated to the point of softeningof the glass; Also, the penetration of the tongs causes adenite weakness in the outer surface skins of the glass sheets resulting in a tendency toward spontaneous fracture thereof. The marring of the glasssheets by the tongs would not be so objectionable were it possible to trim the sheets after tempering, but glass so tempered cannot be subsequently cut without causing the complete shattering thereof.

Generally speaking, it is the aim of this invention to produce curved or bent sheets or plates of tempered glass by the process described above ofiirst heating the sheets to approximately the point of softening of the glass 'and then suddenly chilling the same. However, according to the present invention, the glass sheets are adapted to be bent and tempered while maintained in a substantially horizontal position, thereby eliminating the use of tongs or other supporting means which might tend to mar or injure the surface of Athe glass, the bending and` tempering operations being eiiected vwith a minimum amount of han- -dl-ing of the glass sheets so as to greatly lessen the liability of Warpage or distortion of the glass surfaces during treatment. 'I'he glass sheets are adapted to be successively heated to the desiredy temperature, bent to a predetermined curvature, and then suddenly cooled to complete the tempering thereof as the said sheets are carried horizontally forwardly, to the end thatthe bending and tempering operations are carried out in a substantially continuous manner, with less liability of breakage of the glass as well as a reduced tendency toward marring of the glass surfaces.

Other objects and advantages offthe invention will become -more apparent during the course Vof the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the furnace employed for heating the glass sheets;`

Fig. 2 represents a continuation of Fig. 1 and illustrates in section the rolls for bending the heated glass sheets as they emerge from the furnace, and in side elevation the means for subsequently cooling the bent sheets;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the cooling means;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the means for mounting the bending rolls;

Fig'. 5 is a view taken at right angles to'Fig. 4

on substantially line 5-5 thereof;

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified `form of bending and cooling means, with'the bending means being shown in vertical longitudinal section, and the cooling means in side elevation;

Fig. 7 is plan view of a portion of the cooling means illustrated in Fig. 6;

Fig. -8 is a side elevation of the bending means of Fig. 6; and

Fig, 9 shows the means for mounting one of the guide rolls in Fig. 6.

With reference first to the form of the invention-disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the letter A designates in its entirety the means for heating the glass sheets; B the means for bending the heated sheets to the desired` curvature; and C the means for subsequently cooling the bent sheets to complete the tempering thereof, said heating, bending, and cooling means being preferably arranged in substantial horizontal alignment with one another so that the glass sheets can be passed directly from the heating means to the bending means and thence to the cooling means rapidly and conveniently and with a minimum loss of heat and exposure to the atmosphere, whereby the sheets will be acted upon by the cooling means while still in a uniformly heated condition.

The heating means A comprises an elongated furnace structure I substantially rectangular in cross section and divided transversely at a point intermediate its ends by a vertical partition wall II and vertically vmovable gate I2 into a preliminary heating section I3 and a nal heating section I4. The entrance and exit ends of the furnace are also adapted to be closed by vertically movable gates I and I6 respectively. Arranged throughout the entire length of the furnace structure is a series of horizontally aligned conveyor rolls I1, and it is preferred that these rolls be divided into a plurality of separate conveyor sections, with the speed of rotation of said separate conveyor sections being independently controllable. By way of example, the rolls I1 are shown as being divided into the ve conveyor sections I8, I9, 20, 2| and 22. The rolls I1 of each conveyor section are adapted to be simultaneously driven at a uniform speed in any desired manner such as by means of a chain and sprocket drive or the like 23. Arranged forwardly of the furnace is a receiving conveyor section 24 embodying a plurality of horizontally aligned rolls 25 arranged in horizontal alignment with the conveyor rolls I1 in the furnace and being also driven by a chain and sprocket drive or the like 26. The conveyor section 22 at the exit end of the furnace may extend outwardly therebeyond so as to deliver the heated sheet directly to the bending means B, as shown in Fig. 2.

The primary heating section I3 of the furnace is preferably heated with gas supplied thereto through burners 21, while the nal heating section I4 is preferably electrically heated by means of the electric heating elements 28 disposed above and beneath the path of travel of the glass. These electric heating elements or resistors may be connected. in series or parallel and may be controlled in the usual mannerby necessary switches and rheostats.

In the tempering of the glass sheets, they are heated to approximately the point of softening of the glass which is ordinarily in the neighborhood of 1250 F. for at glass and the sheets are adapted to be gradually brought to this temperature during their travel through the furnace I0. There is a decided advantage to be gained in dividing the furnace into a primary heating section and a final heating section and in heating the former with gas and the latter by electricity. For instance, it is well known that gas is a relatively cheaper fuel than .electricity and therefore the cheap fuel is used for the primary heating of the glass, while the more expensive electric heat is used only for the final finishing heat.

slow speed.

The glass sheets may be heated as they travel through the primary heating section I3 to approximately 1000 to 1100 degrees Fahrenheit, and

in their passage through the final heating section i4 may be brought from thistemperature to a temperature of 1250 degrees Fahrenheit. While gas is cheaper than electricity, yet it is also a well known fact that electricity produces a more uniform and constant heat than any of the other forms of heating. Consequently, during their travel through the final heating section, the glass sheets will be evenly and uniformly heated to the desired predetermined temperature. Although not so illustrated in the drawings, the conveying rolls I1 in the nal heating section I4 may, if desired, be arranged relatively closer together than the rolls in the primary heating section i3 to prevent sagging of the softened glass therebetween.

The glass sheet 29 to be bent and tempered is initially placed by the operator upon the receiving conveyor section 24 at the entrance end of the furnace and it is preferred that this conveyor section along with the vconveyor sections I8, 20 and. 22 in the furnace be capable of being driven at either a relatively high speed or a relatively In practice, when the glass sheet is placed upon the receiving conveyor section 24, the rolls 25 thereof are stationary. After the sheet is laid on the rolls 25, the operator causes the gates I2, l5 and i6 tc be raised by suitable operating mechanism, and substantially simultaneously the rolls 25 of conveyor section 24 are adapted to be driven at a relatively high speed to deliver the glass sheet rapidly into the furnace. When the conveyor section 24 is driven at a high speed, the conveyor sections I8, 20 and 22 in the furnace are also adapted to be driven at a correspondingly high speed so th t at the time one sheet is being fed into the furnv ce, another sheet will Ibe rapidly transferred from the primary heating section I3 to the final heating section I4, and still another sheet delivered rapidly 'from the furnace to the bending means B. After each sheet is fed into the furnace, the gates I2, I5 and I6 are closed and the speed of the conveyor sections I8, 20 and 22 reduced to the same speed as the remaining conveyor sections in the furnace which may be driven at a constant, relatively slow speed. The conveyor section 24 can also be stopped until it is desired to feed another sheet into the furnace.

As the highly heated glass sheet 29 emerges from the exit end of the furnace, it is adapted to be passed directly to the bending means B which comprises a conveyor or runway 30 of the desired length formed of a plurality of bending rolls 3I. The rolls 3| are arranged relativ to one another so that the upper portions ther f denea radius of curvature which corresponds to the curvature to be given thep glass sheet. In other words, the rolls 3l may be said to constitute a bending mold or form for shaping the glass sheet to the desired profile as it travels forwardly thereover. Mounted above the first bending roll 32, which will be hereinafter termed the lower pressure roll, and cooperating therewith is an upper pressure roll 33. The glass sheet 29 is adapted to be rmly clamped between the pressure rolls-32 1 and 33 as it is moved forwardly over the rolls 3l which act to bend said sheet to the desired curvature. While the pressure rolls,and bending rolls may be of any desired construction, they are preferably formed of a material -such as asbestos or the'like or covered with asbestos or some other material which will not mar or scratch the surface of the glass.

The means for mounting and driving the bending rolls 3l and pressure rolls 32 and 33 are disclosed in Figs. 4 and 5. As shown, the roll 32 is carried by a shaft 34 having its opposite ends journalled in vertical standards 35 mounted upon channel beams 36 and secured thereto by screws or the like 31. Each standard is provided with a vertical guideway 38 and slidably mounted therein is a bearing block 39 within which is journaled the adjacent end'of the shaft 46 of roll 33. The roll 33 is yieldably urged toward roll 32 by compression springs 4l. These, springs encircle vertical bolts 42 secured at their lower ends to the bearing blocks 39 and passing upwardly through the upper ends 43 of said standards 35. The bolts 42 have nuts 4B threaded upon the upper ends thereof to limit the downward movement of roll 33 toward roll 32 and also effective to regulate the distance between said rolls.

Each of the bending rolls 3l -is carried by a shaft 45 journaled at its opposite ends in bearing blocks 46 which are slidable vertically in guideways 41 provided in standards 48 also secured to channel beams 36 by screws or the like 49. The bearing blocks 46 are carried by vertical bolts 56 which pass upwardly through the upper ends l of said standards and have associated therewith nuts 52. By rotating the nuts 52, the bending rolls 3| can be raised or lowered independentlyV of one another to vary the curvature defined by the upper portions of saidrolls so as to correspond to the curvature to which it is desired to bend the glass sheet. y The rolls 3l and 32 can be driven in any desired manner such as by means of a chain and sprocket drive or the like 53 and the roll 33 can be driven from roll 32 by the intermeshing gears 54 and 55 fixed to the roll shafts 34 and 46 respectively.

Upon leaving the bending means B, the bent sheet indicated at 56 is adapted to be horizontally received upon a roller support 51 made up of a series of horizontal shafts 58, each of which carries a plurality of spa-ced, short cylindrical discs 59. The shafts l58 are journaled at their opposite ends in suitable standards 66 and 6l and are mounted Ifor vertical adjustment relative to one another by means of vertical bolts 62 and 63 having nuts 64 and 65 associated with the upper ends thereof. In this manner, the said shafts 58 can be adjusted vertically independently of one another to vary the curvature of the support 51 to conform substantially to the curvature of the bent sheet of glass 56 as shown in Fig. .2.

The cooling devices proper consist of superimposed blowerheads l66 and 61 arranged respectively above and beneath the roller support151 and being connected by flexible conduits 68 and 69 to 'suitable blowing apparatus. The inner ends of the blower heads 66 and 61 are covered by plates 16 provided with a plurality of nipples 1l through which jets of Vair are directed si- 'multaneously against opposite surfaces of the bent sheet of glass 56 supported upon the support 5l.V The blower heads 66 and 61 are preferably mounted for horizontal movement and to this end each blower head may be carried at its opposite sides by spaced rollers 12 and 13 adapted to travel upon horizontal rails 14 and 15. 'I'his arrangement is provided in order that the blower heads can be moved out of the way to permit the proper positioning of the bentsheet of glass upon the support 51, after which the blower headsfean be readily moved back into position at opposite sides of the glass sheet.

In operation, the glass sheet 29 to be bent and tempered is iirst passed through the furnace A in the manner explained above and brought therein to the desired temperature. Upon being delivered from the furnace, the sheet passes over the bending rolls 3l which cooperate with the pressure roll 33 to eect the bending of the sheet to a predetermined curvature as it moves forwardly. The curved sheet 56 is then delivered onto the support 51 and the blower heads 66 and 61 are then adapted to direct a plurality of jets of air simultaneously' upon opposite surfaces of the said sheet to complete the tempering thereof. Due to the provision of the discs 59 on shafts 58, the air from the lower blower head will be permitted to pass upwardly between the said discs and impinge upon the bottom surface of the sheet.

From the above, it will be apparent that the apparatus disclosed is substantially continuous in that .the glass sheet is passed successively through the furnace A and bending means B to the cooling means C without any necessity for manual handling of the glass. As a result, the required handling of the glass is reduced to a minimum, thereby greatly lessening the liability of warpage or distortion of the glass surfaces during treatment. By maintaining the glass sheet in a horizontal position during the heating, bending, and cooling thereof, the use of tongs or other supporting means which tend to mar or disflgure the sheet are eliminated.

In Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, there is disclosed a modified type of bending and cooling means, the bending means being broadly designated by the letter D and the cooling means by the letter E. The bending land cooling means D and E are superimposed, with said bending means being located above said cooling means in substantial horizontal alignment with the exit end of the furnace I6. Positioned exteriorly of the furnace I6, which may be of the same construction as in Fig. 1, are a plurality of horizontally aligned conveyor rolls 16 disposed in horizontal alignment with the rolls l1 in the furnace and adapted to receive the heated glass sheet 11 therefrom.

'I'he bending means D comprises an arcuately shaped bending member 18 provided with end portions 19 and 88, said end portions being carried by a horizontal shaft 8l journaled at its opposite ends in bearings 82 mounted upon fixed supports 83. The shaft 8l is adapted to be ro tated to effect rocking or oscillating movement of the bending member 18 from a worm 84 keyed to a shaft journaled in bearings 86 and meshing with a worm gear 81 fixed to the shaft 8l. Associated with the bending member 18 and cooperating therewith to bend the glass sheet to the desired curvature are a plurality of bending rolls 88 arranged with respect to one another to conform tothe curvature of the outer surface of bending member 18.

When the glass sheet 11 passes over the rolls 16 to the bending means D, the bending member 18 is adapted to be disposed in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6. As soon as the forward end of the glass sheet passes between the bending member 18 and first bending roll 88, the said bending member is rocked upon shaft 8l ina clockwise direction to carry the glass sheet vbeneath the bending rolls 88 which cooperate with said bending member 18 to bend the glass sheet about the curved outer surface thereof. When the bending member reaches the broken line position in Fig. 6 and the bent sheet of glass 89 passes from beneath the last bending roll 08, the said bending member isadapted to be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction to return it to starting position and when this is done, the sheet 09 is adapted to slide downwardly by gravity off the bending member and onto the curved roller support or cradle 90 having a curvature substantially corresponding to that of the sheet. The rollersupport 90 consists of a plurality of horizontal shafts 9|, each carrying a series of relatively short discs 92 similar'to the discs 59 in Fig. 3.

The bending rolls 88 are carried by shafts 93 journaled at their opposite ends in bearing blocks 94 slidable vertically in standards 95 which :are secured to supporting members 96 by screws or the like 91. 'I'he bearing blocks 94 are carried by bolts 98 which 'pass upwardly through 'the upper ends of the standards 95 and have nuts 99 threaded upon the outer ends thereof; The rolls 09 are yieldably urged toward the bending member 'd8 by compression springs |00 which encircle the said bolts 98. v

Each of the shafts 9| of the roller support 90 can also be mounted at their opposite ends in bearing blocks slidably mounted in standards |02 secured to the supports 96 by screws or the like |03. The bearing blocks |0l-have-secured thereto the inner ends of bolts |04 which ,pass outwardly through the standards and carry nuts |05, by means of which the said shafts 9| can be moved inwardly or outwardly.

The curved sheet of glass 89 is adapted to be cooled while supported upon the discs 92 of roller support 90, and the cooling means E comprises cooling devices |06 and |01 arranged above and beneath the sheet. Each of these cooling devices may consist of a plurality of spaced parallel pipes |08 curved longitudinally to conform substantially to the curvature of the glass sheet 89 and being provided with a series of outlets |09. The pipes |08 are carried by and communicate with a supply pipe ||0, by means of which the said cooling devices can also be supported. When the glass sheet 89 is brought to rest upon the discs 92, the cooling devices |06 and |01 are placed in operation to direct jets or blasts of air 'against opposite surfaces of the glass sheet simultaneously to effect the desired cooling thereof and thereby complete the tempering of the glass.

It is to be understood that the form of the inagrarie vention herewith shown and described is to bel departing from the spirit of thel invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In combination in apparatus for making bent tempered glass sheets including heating means, bending means and cooling means arranged in substantial horizontal alignment with one another andadapted to successively receive the glass sheet while horizontally supported, said bending means including a pair o f superimposed pressure rolls between which the heated glass sheet is passed, and a plurality of bending rolls following said pressure rolls and adapted to cooperate therewith to bend the sheet to the desired curvature as it moves forwardly thereover, the upper portions of said bending rolls being arranged to form a curvature corresponding to the curvature to which the sheet is to be bent.

2.'In combination in apparatus for making bent tempered glass sheets including a furnace for heating the glass sheet, means for horizontally supporting the sheet and conveying it through said furnace, bending means for receiving the heated sheet from the furnace comprising a pair of pressure rolls between-which the sheet passes and a plurality of bending rolls following said pressure rolls and adapted to cooperate therewith to bend the sheet to the desired curvature as it moves forwardly thereover, the upper portions of saidbending rolls being arranged to.

form acurvature corresponding to the curvature to which the sheet is to bent, and superimposed cooling devices adapted to receive the bent sheet horizontally therebetween and to effect the simultaneous cooling of the opposite surfaces thereof. 3. In combination in apparatus for' making bent tempered glass sheets including means for heating the glass sheet, bending-means for receiving the heated sheet horizontally comprising a pair of pressure rolls between which the sheet passes and a plurality of bending rolls following said pressure rolls and adapted to cooperate theret with to bend the sheet to the desired curvature as it moves forwardly thereover, the upper portions of said bending rolls being arranged to form a curvature corresponding to the vcurvature to which the sheet. is to be bent, and means for cooling the bent sheet.

' JOHN L. DRAKE. 

